Friday, December 12, 2014

Vegan, Gluten Free Tortillas


This recipe was created for my daughter and her family. They are on a vegan, gluten free diet. I have to say, these tortillas are really good! They are soft and pliable just like my original tortilla recipe. So, for all of you vegan's on a gluten free diet, this one is for you! I hope you enjoy them!

Monday, October 20, 2014

Cannelloni with Sausage and Peppers Made With Heartland Oven Ready Lasagna




Cannelloni or Manicotti? What do you call it? The only real difference is that Manicotti is made with preformed pasta tubes and Cannelloni is made with rectangular pasta sheets or crepes. Back in my gluten-eating days, I made Manicotti quite often, loved it! I have yet to find gluten-free Manicotti shells, so I chose to make Cannelloni with Heartland Oven Ready Lasagna. I smothered them in a savory bechamel sauce instead of the typical tomato sauce. It turned out amazing!

Monday, October 13, 2014

Lamb Gyros With Tzatziki Sauce


This recipe is simply amazing!! I found it over at Joy The Brown Eyed Baker. The lamb is perfectly seasoned and the Tzatziki sauce is wonderful! Thank you Joy!

She used pita bread to wrap her gyros but I have yet to perfect a recipe for gluten-free pita bread. If you have one I would love for you to share it! Instead, I used the Flat Bread or Wraps recipe I posted a while back. The thin wraps work just as well for this recipe.

Saturday, October 11, 2014

Progressive Adjustable Bread Keeper, Love It!



From time to time I will be reviewing products advertised on my blog. Pictured above is my new bread keeper that I purchased through Chefs Catalog. I love it and it is very practical. It has an adjustable valve which allows you increase or decrease airflow around the bread. Here in Colorado, where the humidity is very low, I keep mine in the closed position to help retain moisture. For those of you who live in a humid environment, simply open the valve to allow for more airflow. Also, this box takes up a lot less space than traditional bread boxes. One of my favorite things about this particular bread box is that it can be placed on end, allowing larger loaves to be placed cut side down. Imperative to retaining moisture in homemade and Artisan breads.

Deep Dish Chicago Style Pizza



My favorite Pizzeria, back in my gluten-eating days that is, served the most amazing deep dish Chicago Style Pizza I had ever eaten!! Man I miss that pizza! Who says we non-gluten eaters have to go without our favorite dishes? Certainly not me! I finally have a delicious gluten-free version of that pizza for you! Your're welcome!

I used my pizza crust recipe and Emeril Legasse's technique, cheese on the bottom and sauce on the top. This method keeps your crust from getting soggy. Brilliant!

Thursday, September 25, 2014

Loaded Baked Potato Soup



This amazing soup is so creamy and delicious! If you love loaded baked potatoes, this soup is right up your alley! Seriously, how can you go wrong with potatoes, bacon, cheddar cheese and heavy cream? Comfort Food 101. This recipe is definitely a keeper!

Monday, September 8, 2014

Soft Hoagie or Sub Rolls



I don't know about you, but I have missed eating subs and hoagies on soft tender buns! The store bought variety is anything but that! This recipe makes perfectly soft tender buns every time. I used the same recipe I used for my hamburger and hot dog buns. I am still amazed at how delicious this recipe is! They are so easy to throw together too! Let's get started shall we?

Sunday, September 7, 2014

Soft Potato Rolls



I wish you could smell my kitchen right now! Pillowy soft potato rolls made with honey! Oh man! These little gems are always a hit around here! The texture is so light and tender, which you can see in the photo above. The mashed potatoes in these rolls add so much moisture and a wonderful flavor. You can't go wrong with this recipe, I have never had them turn out anything but delicious!

Tuesday, September 2, 2014

Secret Ingredient Peanut Butter Cookies



Mmmmm, peanut butter cookies! One of life's simple pleasures. What is it about cookies that makes them so darn appealing? I'm guessing the main reason is obvious, they are just plain delicious! I have never met a cookie I didn't like. What's not to like after all?

Peanut butter just happens to be my oldest son's favorite cookie. He puts peanut butter on his pancakes, waffles and dips chocolate cookies into the stuff! Like mother like son I guess.

I used instant pudding mix in this recipe (the secret ingredient). It does a fabulous job at keeping them moist. You can use butter or palm shortening in this recipe, or even better, a combination of both. The palm shortening keeps then tender and the butter gives them a wonderful flavor. Butter makes everything better! These cookies practically melt in your mouth!

Sunday, August 31, 2014

Gluten-Free Low-Carb Cherry Almond Scones made with Hi-maize and Lorann Bakery Emulsion



Scones have to be one of the most popular coffee break snacks today. Every coffee shop I come across seems to always have them on the menu. With good reason, they are moist, tender and delicious! This recipe is all of those things, but without the guilt of inhaling a gazillion carbs! I used my Low-Carb Gluten-Free Flour Mix #3 for these light and airy scones. It is lighter in texture than my other mixes, has the least carbs, more neutral flavor, and is perfect for tender pastries like these. Scones are a very versatile treat. You can add blueberries, raisins, cherries or even sugar-free chocolate chips and nuts. They don't have to be sweet treats either. I have had wonderful savory scones with herbs and sun dried tomatoes, Yumm! Let your imagination dictate your recipe!
I used two products in this recipe I would like to bring to your attention: Hi-maize resistant corn starch and Lorann Bakery Emulsions. Both are gluten-free.

Hi-Maize Resistant Starch is very light in texture, adds healthy fiber, is nearly flavorless and low in carbs.


Bakery emulsions don't lose their potency when used in baked goods and custards, unlike the alcohol based extracts. Use it just like you would any other extract. It comes in a wide variety of flavors, 17 of them I believe. Coffee flavor is one of my favorites! I love this stuff!


Saturday, August 30, 2014

Gluten Free Cinnamon Raisin Brioche



If you like cinnamon raisin bread you're gonna love this! I used brioche dough for this recipe. Brioche, if you've never had it, is soft and sweet and tastes amazing by itself! The cinnamon and raisins are just the icing on the cake. This is a very soft sticky dough, so you will need oiled plastic wrap or parchment paper for shaping, but it's a snap to do. I really love this bread toasted and topped with cream cheese. Add a cup of coffee and I am a happy girl! I hope you give this recipe a try.

Friday, August 29, 2014

Pork and Green Chile Enchiladas With Cilantro Lime Rice



I was extremely excited to me able to make this dish with soft, gluten-free flour tortillas. I usually use corn tortillas, I am not a fan of gluten free store bought flour tortillas. They are way too rubbery for  my taste. My husband shared this dish with one of his co-workers and he couldn't believe that it was gluten free! That is exactly what I wanted to hear! Success! I used Hatch Gluten Free Green Chile Enchilada Sauce as a base for this recipe and added a few of my own personal touches to it. It turned out simply delicious!

Soft Gluten-Free Tortillas At Last!



Finally, after three long years, success!! Soft, pliable, gluten-free tortillas! I can't put into words how excited I am about this recipe! I was beginning to think that the perfect gluten-free flour tortilla didn't exist! Since going gluten-free I have tried countless recipes that weren't even close to the right texture. The only alternatives were rubbery tortillas or corn tortillas. Don't get me wrong, I love corn tortillas, but you're limited in what you can do with them. This recipe is a variation of the flat bread recipe that I posted previously. With that recipe having been such a big success, I had high hopes it would work just as well for flour tortillas. I used a combination of corn masa flour and my all-purpose flour mix. They have a mild corn flavor with the flexibility of flour tortillas. The best of both worlds! Next time I plan to use only the all-purpose flour mix and see how that works out. I will keep you posted.

Wednesday, August 27, 2014

Penne With Creamy Roasted Red Pepper Sauce and Italian Sausage


For those of you who are following me on this blog, you know how much I love pasta! This dish is incredible and goes together fairly quickly! If you've never had pasta sauce made from roasted red peppers, you really should give it a try. I promise, you won't be disappointed! It has a rich yet smooth flavor. Jarred peppers work wonderfully in this dish, but if your feel like roasting fresh red peppers, I commend you! I also added crumbled goat cheese to this dish right before I tossed in the pasta. Just about one ounce, hoping  my husband wouldn't notice it. He's not a fan of goat cheese, but he said the sauce was delicious! It adds an earthy flavor that I love. If you're not a fan either and would prefer fresh Parmesan, it's just as delicious in this dish! I really hope you try this recipe.

Pina Colada Pudding Cake



This cake is so moist and delicious! Who doesn't love coconut, pineapple and rum together? It's an amazing combination! To make sure this cake would be very moist, I used a box of gluten-free instant vanilla pudding and full-fat coconut milk. It turned out just as I imagined it would! I hope you like it.

Creamy Tomato Soup With Fennel and Dill



There is something about a hot bowl of homemade soup. It warms the soul! Tomato soup has always been one of my favorites. Add a grilled cheese sandwich and I'm in Heaven! Though my sandwich did get a little toasty this time. A sandwich shop I used to go to prior to my gluten-free lifestyle change made an amazing soup like this one. This recipe is very easy to make and you probably have all of the ingredients in your pantry right now. I used crushed tomatoes for this recipe but you could use 2 lbs of fresh diced tomatoes if you have them on hand. The fennel and dill I used are merely my preference, use whatever strikes your fancy. Basil and thyme would be fabulous in this soup as well! Top with fresh Parmesan and toasted croutons for another layer of flavor.

Sunday, August 24, 2014

Gluten-Free Low-Carb Ricotta Pancakes



I love pancakes, all kinds of pancakes! Look at how fluffy these are, Mmmm! No sweetener needed for this one either. I used my Gluten-Free Low-Carb Flour Mix for this recipe and ricotta cheese. They turned out moist, fluffy and delicious! Just how a pancake should be. Blueberries or chocolate chips would be wonderful additions to this recipe, but I decided to keep it simple for the first go-around. Now on to the recipe.

Friday, August 22, 2014

Fried Zucchini Circles



Not many recipes inspire me to deep fry, I hate the clean up! But I made an exception for this one! I saw this recipe on The Pioneer Woman's website a couple days ago. Since I have an abundance of zucchini coming from my garden right now, I had to try to make a gluten-free version of it. Don't they look amazing? I used my all-purpose gluten-free flour mix in this recipe and ground-up gluten-free veggie flavored crackers instead of using bread crumbs. If I had it at the time, I would have used a packet of Hidden Valley Ranch Dips mix instead of the gluten-free flour and mixed Parmesan cheese into the cracker crumbs, it sounds so good doesn't it?! These little babies were so easy to make too! I will definitely be making these again! Thanks Ree! I love your show too!

Wednesday, August 20, 2014

Stromboli


Stromboli has been one of our favorite Pizza Night dishes for some time now. I love it mainly because it so easy to make. Rolled up finger food goodness! What's not to love? It starts with a good pizza dough recipe and you add your personal touches to it from there. Anything goes! Stromboli is similar to Calzones, except the sauce is kept on the side for dunking. My pizza dough recipe makes 2 good sized Stromboli. One will feed 1-2 people, depending on how much pizza you can inhale. Hehe.

Secret Ingredient Chewy Chocolate Chip Cookies



Chocolate Chip Cookies with a little secret to tell. These cookies are sinfully delicious and chewy! Gluten-free cookies tend to be not-so-chewy the next day, not these! I waited to post this recipe until "the next day" to make doubly sure they would still be soft and chewy, this recipe did not disappoint me! Look at them! If no one told you they were gluten-free you wouldn't know. Are you ready for the secret ingredient? Instant Pudding Mix! I know, I thought the same thing! But man does it work to keep these cookies just as amazing as the day you made them! The trick is not to use too much, or they will be soft and cakey, not my idea of an amazing chocolate chip cookie. I only added 2 tablespoons to this recipe, just enough to keep them chewy on the inside and still crispy on the outside. Now THAT is my kind of cookie!

Tuesday, August 19, 2014

Gluten-Free Hamburger and Hotdog Buns



The perfect hamburger and hotdog bun recipe had eluded me until I found a recipe for Pull-Apart Dinner Rolls over at My Gluten-Free Kitchen. It hit me, the soft fluffy texture of dinner rolls is exactly what I was looking for! Thank you Michelle! I used my Bread Flour Mix in place of the flour blend she recommends and a few other minor changes as well. These buns are so good! Finally, "real" hamburger and hotdog buns! You could add caramelized onions and dill to this recipe for amazing onion rolls as well, but that's another blog post entirely. I also use this recipe to make Hoagie and Sub Rolls. Let's get to it!

Sunday, August 17, 2014

Chicken Tortilla Soup



This soup is one of my favorite comfort foods. So good! It is very simple to  make and only uses a few ingredients. You can crank up the heat or keep it mild for the little ones. (or the big ones who can't take the heat). Hehe. I prefer to use bone-in chicken for this recipe, it adds a little extra flavor to the soup, but chicken breast will do just fine.

Flat Bread or Wraps





This recipe is perfect for flat bread or wraps. I have been looking for the perfect recipe for gluten-free flour tortillas or wraps and this is it! Every recipe I've tried, until now, has been dense and gummy! I found this recipe over at A Girl Defloured. The only thing I changed was I used my bread flour mix, doubled the amount of oil used and only baked them for 7 minutes. They are soft and flexible as you can see in the photo above. You've gotta try this recipe! Here's a link to the Chicken Tortilla Soup pictured above.

Rum Rice Pudding



This recipe takes me back to my childhood. Mom would make rice pudding from time to time and we all loved it! My version contains dark rum, Mmmmm! Sounds good already huh? The secret to very creamy rice pudding is to use medium grain white rice. It has a higher starch content has a tender texture when cooked. You can use long grain if that's all you have, but the texture of the rice will be a little more chewy. Also, make sure the rum you use is gluten free, a quick Google search is all it takes. I used left-over rice from the night before, just make sure the rice you use isn't seasoned with anything but salt.

Tuesday, August 12, 2014

Gluten-Free Low-Carb Garlic and Herb Bread Sticks



Bread sticks that are low-carb, gluten-free and also soft and chewy? You found em! These are so good! They have a light texture and a flavor that reminds me of whole wheat bread. Perfect for sopping up marinara sauce. These were super easy to whip up. The dough is very workable, perfect for shaping into bread sticks. I used my revised Gluten-Free Low-Carb Flour Mix for this recipe.

Sunday, August 10, 2014

Gluten-Free Low-Carb Buttermilk Biscuits



Light and fluffy buttermilk biscuits, that just happen to be gluten-free and low-carb as well! Who knew such a thing existed? I am very happy with this biscuit recipe. I used the new revised version of my Gluten-Free Low-Carb Flour Mix. You can see how light and fluffy the texture is by looking at the photo above. I actually prefer these biscuits over my regular gluten-free biscuits. They are healthier too, that's always a good thing in my book! I can see light and fluffy gluten-free low-carb scones in the near future! This new mix works so well!

Wednesday, August 6, 2014

Gluten Free French Toast, made on the Cuisinart 6-in-1 Griddler!



Who doesn't love French toast? I know we do here in our home. My youngest son asked me to make this at least 5 days a week when he was little, I'm not kidding. I would ask what he wanted for breakfast and his response was always, "You know, it starts with an F" how cute is that? I miss those days, he's now a 20 year old man! Time sure flies by! This is a quick and easy gluten free breakfast. All you need is a loaf of your favorite gluten free bread, a couple eggs, a little milk and vanilla, Voila, breakfast in 15 minutes! I've made this many times with Cinnamon Raisin Bread as well, Yummy!

Tuesday, August 5, 2014

Gluten Free Cinnamon Rolls




There's nothing like the smell of warm cinnamon rolls in the morning to perk you right up! I made these with my gluten free bread flour mix, but you can use any high quality gluten free flour mix. If your mix contains xanthan gum omit it from the recipe. If you have never tried to shape gluten free dough before, you're in for a treat! Every time I make these things I curse gluten free dough! It is sticky, gooey and a bear to shape, but these are totally worth it! Once you take a bite of these warm, soft, delicious cinnamon rolls, the bad thoughts and dirty words that you uttered while making these rolls will fade away! I promise, they are that good!

Monday, August 4, 2014

Ancho Chile Back Ribs With Creamy Polenta



This dish is simply delicious! The ancho chile sauce pairs very well with the creamy polenta. I grew up a southern girl and refused to eat grits. Polenta and grits are pretty much the same thing. I wish I hadn't been so stubborn as a child, they are addictive! Any leftovers will be a yummy treat in the morning! I found the recipe for the ancho chile spice rub over at www.djfoodie.com, I modified it slightly, but it's a definite keeper. The chile sauce recipe came from www.gourmetfood.about.com, the only thing I changed was I used dried ancho chiles. Beef short ribs would have been my first choice for this dish, since they are more meaty, but my local grocer was out at the time. I won't keep you waiting any longer, let's get to it!

Sunday, August 3, 2014

Gluten-Free Low-Carb Chia Bread



Here is my first attempt at gluten free low carb bread. I must say, for a first go around, it's pretty good! It has a pleasant, nutty, whole grain flavor. This recipe could be a base for "not rye" bread as well. This recipe contains a 1/4 cup ground psyllium, therefore I didn't need to use any gums. I also used a gluten-free low-carb baking mix that I have been working on. I plan on tweaking it until I get it just right.

Gluten-Free Low-Carb Flour Mixes



This is a gluten free low carb baking mix that I have been working on. I am happy with the results so far. It has worked well for quick breads, brownies, cookies, pancakes and just today I made a pretty good loaf of bread using this mix as a base. I plan to keep tweaking it until I get it just right! Just today, I ordered 10 bags of oat bran to experiment with as well. I hope to be able to cut back on the almond meal by substituting finely ground oat bran for half of the amount. Almond meal ain't cheap! I will keep you posted with my results!

Friday, August 1, 2014

Gluten Free Lasagna made with Heartland Oven Ready Lasagna


Lasagna is one of my favorite Italian dishes. I was a very happy girl when I found this oven ready lasagna at my local Super Center!

Brown rice lasagna wasn't too bad, but a little chewy for my taste. These lasagna noodles from Heartland have a wonderful texture! If no one told you they were gluten free you would never know. I highly recommend that you give them a try! Thank you Heartland!

Gluten Free Garlic and Herb Bread Sticks


These amazing looking garlic and herb bread sticks are made using my pizza dough recipe. I added in 1 teaspoon of dried Italian herbs with the bread flour and brushed them with extra virgin olive oil and garlic powder when they were done baking. This recipe makes 6-8 good sized bread sticks, depending on how big you want them to be. They are soft and chewy inside, yet light and fluffy too. I hope you give these are try, they are delicious!

Thursday, July 31, 2014

Gluten Free Pizza Four Ways




Pizza Pizza Pizza! Who doesn't love pizza? We got a little creative with our pizza this time. Everyone got to choose their favorite toppings. My new favorite is the BBQ chicken pizza. Sounds a little weird I know, but if you haven't tried this one you're missing out! My husbands all-time favorite pizza is the Hawaiian with jalapenos and my son always asks for pepperoni or pepperoni/sausage combo. I doubled my pizza dough recipe since it only makes one large pizza. Have fun creating our own new favorite pizza!

Light And Fluffy Waffles With Raspberry Maple Syrup


Light, fluffy gluten free waffles with a light crispy texture? Oh yeah! This is one of those recipes that I kept working on until I got it just right! The baking mix I put together is perfect for this one. To keep these waffles light and airy, no xanthan gum is used. It just weighs them down and gives them a gummy texture. Gross! I used a more traditional approach to this recipe and separated the eggs and whipped the whites. It isn't necessary but really does improve the texture.

Apple Cinnamon Bundt Cake With Maple Glaze




I love a really good bundt cake! My home was filled with the aroma of apples and cinnamon as this cake was baking, yum! It is very moist and delicious! I used Granny Smith apples in this recipe, they are tart and sweet and add a lot of flavor. The maple glaze adds yet another layer of flavor, but if you're not a fan of maple any glaze will do. You could also add a crumb topping to this cake by using a tube pan with removable sides or a 9x13 cake pan. Either way you can't go wrong!

Thursday, July 24, 2014

Soft Sandwich Bread



There is nothing better than the smell of fresh bread hot out of the oven! This recipe makes the perfect soft sandwich bread. It's crusty on the outside and very tender, yet not wet or gummy, on the inside. What every person on a gluten free diet is looking for! I have experimented with many combinations of ingredients and countless recipes found online before coming up with this recipe. It is my favorite by far!! I really hope you love this as much as I do.

Wednesday, July 23, 2014

Gluten Free Artisan Bread



After going gluten free, I thought I would never again enjoy a great loaf of crusty artisan bread. Thank goodness I was wrong! This bread recipe is simply delicious! I use my bread flour mix as a base and add in a little extra tapioca starch. It is soft and moist on the inside and crusty on the outside. The dough can be stored in the fridge for up to 5-7 days. The longer it sits the more flavor it develops, almost like sourdough. Make sure your container is large enough to allow for expansion and has a loosely fitted lid, don't snap it shut! This recipe will make one large loaf pictured above or 2 smaller ones.

Tuesday, July 22, 2014

Chicken Parmesan

Sorry for the horrible photo!

Pasta is on the menu several nights a week at our house. We're not picky, red sauce, white sauce, doesn't matter! This recipe is simply delicious and very easy to prepare. I made my own tomato sauce with sauteed veggies and garlic, but you can use your favorite prepared sauce and it will be just as delicious!

Pizza Crust





It's Tuesday, that mean it's pizza night in our house! We have had this tradition for the past 10 years or so. This crust is soft, crispy and chewy all at the same time. Finally, REAL pizza crust! I can't tell you the countless times I've made gluten free pizza crust just to have it turn out to be a dismal failure! I finally have a recipe that comes out delicious every time. This also makes perfect bread sticks, focaccia and flat bread as well. I hope you enjoy this pizza crust as much as we do!

Blueberry Scones



Mmmm, scones are one of my favorite breakfast treats! They are quick and easy to throw together yet taste like a million bucks! This recipe is very similar to a biscuit recipe, just a little more sugar. The texture is very light and tender, they practically melt in your mouth. If you aren't a fan of blueberries simply omit them or replace with raisins, chocolate chips, nuts or your favorite dried fruit. Scones are very versatile, the possibilities are endless!

Chocolate Almond Torte

 

This torte is chocolate indulgence to the max!! I love anything chocolate and this dessert does not disappoint! This recipe involves a few extra steps, but they are totally worth it. No baking mix or flour needed, just almond meal or almond flour. This recipe can easily be made low carb by replacing the sugar with your favorite granulated substitute. I used Swerve in this recipe as my sweetener of choice with a quarter cup of coconut palm sugar. Feel free to use your favorite sweetener though. I was very pleased with the texture of this torte, very moist and delicious!